Recessed lighting systems

Abstract

A recessed lighting system includes a casting, a light source module and one or more optic elements disposed in the casting, and a driver to power the light source module. In one example, the system also includes a junction box or a 4-10 inch recessed lighting fixture enclosure in which the casting is disposed. The system may also include a trim to cover an exposed edge of a hole in a ceiling or a wall into which the recessed lighting system is installed. The system also may include one or more connecting mechanisms to couple the trim to one or both of the junction box/enclosure and the casting. In one example, the casting includes a front end face and the one or more connecting mechanisms couple the trim to the front end face of the casting. The connecting mechanism(s) may include a twist-and-lock friction connection.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A recessed lighting system, comprising:
 a lighting assembly, comprising:
 a light source module including at least one LED; 
 an AC to DC converter to receive an AC voltage and supply regulated electrical energy to power the light source module; 
 a lens; 
 a reflector; and 
 a heat-sinking unified casting having a closed rear face and a sidewall wherein:
 the sidewall is joined to the closed rear face at one end and joined to a front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting at another end of the heat-sinking unified casting; 
 the sidewall extends 360 degrees around the central axis of the heat-sinking unified casting and defines a casting cavity that extends forward from the closed rear face to the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting and outward to the sidewall; 
 the sidewall has beat sink fins formed on its outside surface; 
 the closed rear face and the sidewall are formed of a heat conductive material to dissipate beat generated by the light source module; 
 the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises a twist-and-lock mechanism comprising multiple flanges that extend radially outward from a perimeter of the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting; 
 the height of the sidewall, between the flanges and an outside surface of the closed rear face, is less than 1½ inches; 
 an outside width of the sidewall, between the flanges and the closed rear face, is less than 3½ inches and can fit between multiple tabs of a standard junction box; and 
 the light source module is positioned inside the casting cavity closer to the closed rear face than to a surface of the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting; 
 
 
 wherein:
 at least a portion of a front surface of the lens is coplanar with the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting to direct light produced by the light source module out into an area surrounding the recessed lighting system; 
 the reflector is positioned inside the heat-sinking unified casting to direct light emitted from the light source module through the lens; 
 a plurality of electrical wires coupled to the AC to DC converter pass through the closed rear face of the heat-sinking casting; and 
 the AC to DC converter is positioned proximate to the closed rear face of the heat-sinking unified casting, and is coupled to the heat-sinking unified casting using a connecting mechanism, and is insulated from the heat-sinking unified casting. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises a plurality of holes in the front end face to facilitate coupling of the heat-sinking unified casting to an enclosure or the standard junction box. 
     
     
       3. The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the multiple flanges extend radially outward from diametrically opposite sides of the perimeter of the front end face; and 
 an outside width of the multiple flanges between the diametrically opposite sides of the perimeter of the front end face is greater than 3½ inches. 
 
     
     
       4. The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the AC to DC converter includes a circuit board; and 
 the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises:
 a groove; and 
 an insulating gasket placed in the groove to separate the circuit board and the heat-sinking unified casting. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The lighting system of  claim 1 , further comprising a trim coupled to the twist-and-lock mechanism. 
     
     
       6. The lighting system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 a trim size of the trim is based on a hole size of a hole in which the recessed lighting system is fitted; and 
 the trim comprises at least one of an aluminum plastic polymer, an alloy, copper, copper-tungsten pseudoalloy, AlSiC (silicon carbide in aluminum matrix), diamond in copper-silver alloy matrix, and beryllium oxide in beryllium matrix. 
 
     
     
       7. The lighting system of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure to contain at least a portion of the heat-sinking unified casting, wherein the enclosure comprises one of the standard junction box or a 4-10 inch recessed lighting fixture. 
     
     
       8. The lighting system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the enclosure comprises the standard junction box; 
 the multiple tabs of the standard junction box are positioned proximate to an opening of the standard junction box through which at least the portion of the heat-sinking unified casting is placed into, and thereby contained in, the standard junction box; and 
 the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises holes that align with the tabs of the standard junction box to facilitate installation of the lighting assembly in the standard junction box. 
 
     
     
       9. The lighting system of  claim 8 , wherein the standard junction box has a width of 3½ inches. 
     
     
       10. The lighting system of  claim 8 , wherein the standard junction box has at least eight sides. 
     
     
       11. The lighting system of  claim 8 , wherein the standard junction box is formed of one of a metal, a polymer, or a metal alloy. 
     
     
       12. A lighting assembly, comprising:
 a light source module including at least one LED; 
 an AC to DC converter to receive an AC voltage and supply regulated electrical energy to power the light source module; 
 a lens; and 
 a heat-sinking unified casting, comprising:
 a closed rear face and a sidewall that defines a casting cavity containing the at least one LED, wherein:
 the sidewall includes a plurality of heat sink fins formed on an outside surface of the sidewall; and 
 the closed rear face and the sidewall are formed of a heat conductive material to dissipate heat generated by the light source module; 
 
 a front end face coupled to the sidewall; and
 a twist-and-lock mechanism, comprising:
 multiple flanges that extend radially outward from a perimeter of, and that are flush with, the front end face; and 
 at least one groove and/or at least one slot to form a twist-and-lock friction connection with a trim, 
 
 
 
 wherein: 
 the sidewall has at least one exterior width dimension of less than 3½ inches such that at least a portion of the heat-sinking unified casting proximate to the closed rear face can fit between multiple tabs of a standard junction box; 
 at least a portion of a front surface of the lens is coplanar with the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting; and 
 the AC to DC converter is positioned proximate to the closed rear face of the heat-sinking unified casting, and is coupled to the heat-sinking unified casting using a connecting mechanism, and is insulated from the heat-sinking unified casting. 
 
     
     
       13. The lighting assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises a plurality of holes in the front end face to facilitate coupling of the heat-sinking unified casting to an enclosure or the standard junction box. 
     
     
       14. The lighting assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the multiple flanges extend radially outward from diametrically opposite sides of the perimeter of the front end face; and 
 an outside width of the multiple flanges between the diametrically opposite sides of the perimeter of the front end face is greater than 3½ inches. 
 
     
     
       15. The lighting assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the AC to DC converter includes a circuit board contained in the casting cavity; and 
 the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises:
 a groove; and 
 an insulating gasket placed in the groove to separate the circuit board and the heat-sinking unified casting. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The lighting assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the height of the sidewall, between the flanges and an outside surface of the closed rear face, is less than 1½ inches. 
     
     
       17. The lighting assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the light source module is positioned inside the casting cavity closer to the closed rear face than to a surface of the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting. 
     
     
       18. The lighting assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising the trim coupled to the twist-and-lock mechanism. 
     
     
       19. The lighting assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising the standard junction box, wherein:
 the multiple tabs of the standard junction box are positioned proximate to an opening of the standard junction box through which at least the portion of the heat-sinking unified casting is placed into, and thereby contained in, the standard junction box; and 
 the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises holes that align with the tabs of the standard junction box to facilitate installation of the lighting assembly in the standard junction box. 
 
     
     
       20. The lighting system of  claim 19 , wherein the standard junction box has a width of 3½ inches. 
     
     
       21. The lighting system of  claim 19 , wherein the standard junction box has at least eight sides. 
     
     
       22. The lighting system of  claim 19 , wherein the standard junction box is formed of one of a metal, a polymer, or a metal alloy. 
     
     
       23. A lighting assembly, comprising:
 a light source module including at least one LED; 
 an AC to DC converter to receive an AC voltage and supply regulated electrical energy to power the light source module; 
 a lens; and 
 a heat-sinking unified casting, comprising:
 a closed rear face and a sidewall that defines a casting cavity containing the at least one LED, wherein the closed rear face and the sidewall are formed of a heat conductive material to dissipate heat generated by the light source module; 
 a front end face coupled to the sidewall; 
 a twist-and-lock mechanism, comprising:
 multiple flanges that extend radially outward from a perimeter of the front end face; and/or 
 at least one groove and/or at least one slot to form a twist-and-lock friction connection with a trim, 
 
 
 wherein: 
 the sidewall has at least one exterior width dimension of less than 3½ inches such that at least a portion of the heat-sinking unified casting proximate to the closed rear face can fit between multiple tabs of a standard junction box; and 
 at least a portion of a front surface of the lens is coplanar with the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting. 
 
     
     
       24. The lighting assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises a plurality of holes in the front end face to facilitate coupling of the heat-sinking unified casting to an enclosure or the standard junction box. 
     
     
       25. The lighting assembly of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the multiple flanges extend radially outward from diametrically opposite sides of the perimeter of the front end face; and 
 an outside width of the multiple flanges between the diametrically opposite sides of the perimeter of the front end face is greater than 3½ inches. 
 
     
     
       26. The lighting assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the AC to DC converter is positioned proximate to the closed rear face of the heat-sinking unified casting and is insulated from the heat-sinking unified casting. 
     
     
       27. The lighting assembly of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the AC to DC converter includes a circuit board contained in the casting cavity; and 
 the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises:
 a groove; and 
 an insulating gasket placed in the groove to separate the circuit board and the heat-sinking unified casting. 
 
 
     
     
       28. The lighting assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the heat-sinking unified casting includes a plurality of heat sink fins. 
     
     
       29. The lighting assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the, height of the sidewall, between the flanges and an outside surface of the closed rear face, is less than 1½ inches. 
     
     
       30. The lighting assembly of  claim 23 , further comprising the trim coupled to the twist-and-lock mechanism. 
     
     
       31. The lighting assembly of  claim 23 , further comprising the standard junction box, wherein:
 the multiple tabs of the standard junction box are positioned proximate to an opening of the standard junction box through which at least the portion of the heat-sinking unified casting is placed into, and thereby contained in, the standard junction box; and 
 the front end face of the heat-sinking unified casting further comprises holes that align with the tabs of the standard junction box to facilitate installation of the lighting assembly in the standard junction box. 
 
     
     
       32. The lighting system of  claim 31 , wherein the standard junction box has a width of 3½ inches. 
     
     
       33. The lighting system of  claim 32 , further comprising the trim coupled to the twist-and-lock mechanism of the heat-sinking unified casting, wherein:
 the heat-sinking unified casting is coupled to the standard junction box via screws or bolts passing through the holes in the front end face and the tabs of the standard junction box; and 
 the combination of the standard junction box, the heat-sinking unified casting coupled to and at least partially contained in the standard junction box, and the trim coupled to the twist-and-lock mechanism of the heat-sinking unified casting, has a height or depth of 2 inches. 
 
     
     
       34. The lighting system of  claim 31 , wherein the standard junction box has at least eight sides. 
     
     
       35. The lighting system of  claim 31 , wherein the standard junction box is formed of one of a metal, a polymer, or a metal alloy.